


Assault and Sniper Rifles

by CommanderInGrey



Category: Mass Effect 1 - Fandom, Mass Effect 2 - Fandom, Mass Effect 3 - Fandom, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Other, Some Plot, Some Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27841084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CommanderInGrey/pseuds/CommanderInGrey
Summary: Lieutenant Commander Raelyn Jane Shepard's time in space has lasted a lifetime. Now looking down the barrel of extinction, what led her to this point? How did it come to this? With her trusted crew, her lover, and the fate of the Galaxy in her hands, will she prevail?
Relationships: Female Shepard/Garrus Vakarian
Kudos: 2





	Assault and Sniper Rifles

**Author's Note:**

> The Blitz and The Hero

_2176 CE, Elysium._

Batarians, slavers, pirates. Shots ringing across land and from the sky.  
Civilians had been harmed. Dead lay, scattering the earth below their feet.  
The stench of death was pungently mixed with sweat and vomit as exhausted people fought with everything they had. The opposition pushed with all their might to get to the civilians.

_'One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Reload. Breathe. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Reload. Breathe._

_Stand tall or don't stand at all, Raelyn.'_

The steady count of shots being something to focus on as Shepard defended the breach alone. The colonists terrified behind her, scared should this young woman fail. 

She'd somehow managed to rally the colonists while men and women died around her. Protecting them as best she could until the opposing forces broke into the defenses. And there she sat, alone, bleeding from a massive gash on her cheek from being struck hard in the face with an Omni-Blade, the N7 logo on her armor barely visible from the blood that dripped to her chest plate.

In a desperate attempt to save civilians, she defended this breach, sealing it and defending everyone until the Blitz ended. Reinforcements had sent the cowards running. The death toll was immense on both sides. But this didn't mean it was over. It never truly would be, would it? Getting a response from Shepard took time, she was frantic, paranoid that the colonists were hurt despite her own wounds, desperate to find the remnants of her squadron. She would only find a few of them, the rest joined the immense death-count of the Blitz.

\- - -

Post-Blitz, the name Commander Shepard was common to every Alliance recruit and their families. Several families still talked about how they were on Elysium, how they saw her in action. The Hero who didn't back down from the Batarian forces. The woman who'd protected the breach on Elysium was so young, only 22 at the time. 

As if her parent's names hadn't been common enough, being the daughter of Admiral Hannah Shepard and Major General Osvald Shepard II carried a long shadow. An entire family of Spacers? Very impressive...and very rare. Osvald had been a part of the first blended crew, with Turians and Salarians, using boating shanties from a few centuries earlier as drills to increase the crews' ability to perform together, more a decorative crew than a proper military force. Hannah had been on large ships for most of Shepard's life as well, climbing the ranks steadily, until reaching her current position. 

The two had multiple children, Osvald III (affectionately called Ozzie) 26, Aric 24, Raelyn 22, and Callan 19. Each joined the Alliance the day they were allowed, Military service was the expectation. Not for the glory of their name or to preserve a legacy, but because there was a difference to be made and military service was a way to accomplish that. Military life had been common, and for generations, the Shepard clan had taken to it back when space travel was still limited to Mars.

So when Raelyn joined, naturally being a Shepard set her at a higher standard. One she overcame early by joining the N7 program at the behest of her superiors. The only Shepard to do so yet also. As well as the youngest N7 to be awarded the Star of Terra for service at just 22 for her actions during the Skyllian Blitz.

The Shepard prodigy was a tall woman at six feet tall, standing tall was important in her family, for in the face of trials and adversity, "Stand tall, stand apart, and most important stand-up," was a family motto by now. She had her mother's hair color and type, auburn and wavy, the only difference being Raelyn wore her's cropped short - it was very uncomfortable underneath her helmet to wear it long. Her father's bright, trusting green eyes. All the Shepard children had their father's slightly hooked nose and full lips. All but Callan littered with visible wounds from the battles they'd seen. Raelyn's main one was the large gash on the left side of her face, that reached from the middle of her neck, across her cheek, just shy of her nose. 

As a family alone, they were strong and deadly. Ozzie being an ace pilot, Aric a strong biotic, and the youngest Callan had only enlisted a year prior but was training to be a combat engineer in 2176 CE.

The family rarely saw one another, keeping in touch as best they could. When Raelyn became the executive officer of the SSV Normandy in 2183 CE she sent them all a message about it, everyone excited and proud. Her brothers telling her to relax a bit, leave some glory for them. 

The last time the family met was the night before Raelyn was sent on her first mission as the commanding officer of the Normandy. It had been by a miracle they all got shore leave. The six Shepards each sharing stories, promising to stay in touch, begging each other to be safe. Before they left, Hannah gave Raelyn a small device. When pressed, it would show a small picture of the whole family, smiling and happy. 

After that last meeting, they went their separate ways. Hannah returned to the SSV Kilimanjaro, Osvald II went back to the SSV Vicksburg. Callan had finally been posted to a ship, the SSV Anzio. Aric had become protection detail for the human Ambassador, Udina, on account of his biotics. Finally, Ozzie was being sent to Earth to train the next class of pilots.

Nobody knew then what would happen... No one could have predicted anything.

None saw the devastation and heartaches that would plague not only their family but families across the galaxy.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my story from Wattpad, I'm going to write it on here because I feel it will be more suited for this platform, plus Wattpad's a hell-hole at this point anyway so I hope you enjoy!


End file.
